Final Xmen
by Lee Underground Manson
Summary: Brothehood including Rogue is in New Orleans hiding from the Sentinels where they meet Gambit.Soon they have to realize that not even Trasks sentinels try to wipe them out but Death itself. PS: it IS...or should be a ROMY Caujun Spice never happened !
1. So what now

1. So what now

A shadow of a slender figure fell on a green dusty carpet of a hotel room. Through a window shone the light of the setting sun, once barred by wooden desks that now laid on the floor next to it. A mouldy grayish-yellow wall paper hung down in little stripes under which you could see how the termites ate their labyrinths in the old wooden wall. In the corner was a broken ash-tray next to some half empty bottles of bourbon. Some of them were broken and the old liquor perfumed the room with a sweet fermenting and peppermint-like scent. The person who was looking out of the window, now turned around to sit on the parapet. The movement of feet made the ash raise from the ground, swirl all over the room and join the old bourbon scent. The hotel room itself was covered in a blanket of dust, thick old air and long gone memories which will never be re-told. Loud music and peoples laughter echoed through the streets of New Orleans, reaching the abandoned and without a humans touch and care decaying buildings around. The whole city seemed to be lifeless except of the streets near the center, but this part of Orleans was like a ghost city, with only some homeless´ showing up from time to time. Of course, abandoned, silent and for the police invisible city parts like this were often used by drug dealers, gangs and criminals. But it seemed like today, all the life, criminal and uncriminal, with or without homes, seemed to concentrate itself in the heart of New Orleans, far away from the „Lucky Cajun" hotel where our story begins.

„So what are we her´ fo´?" She popped off of the parapet, turning to face the room with her arms crossed on her chest.

„Mission? Hidin´? Holiday?" He shrugged „How should I know? Mystique ain't a very communicative person the past few weeks." Said Lance, not bothering to look up from the newspaper he was reading all day long,

„Yeah, like she ever was!" Came Fred's voice from the kitchen. He grabbed a pack of crisps and settled himself down on the old fashioned flowery couch, next to Lance. The couch gave a cracking sound as he did so.

„Argh, and where the heck did frog-face disappear?"

„Todd's of stalking Wanda," commented Lance „what else."

He turned the mini transportable TV on and it didn't take long until he turned if off again, smashing the remote control on a sofa.

„Those damn assholes! They´re still showing that fu-"

„Whoa yeah, you guy shoulda been out there, yo!" Rogue was shoved into the wall as Todd made his entrance by jumping through the window and bouncing up on all four walls, landing on one of the sofas. He played with a bunch of colorful pearls hung around his neck, ignoring the annoyed Rogue behind him standing up and walking up to him.

„You shoulda seen it-"

„Hey! Watch out where yo´re jumping frog-face!" she hit the back of his head with her covered hand.

„Oh calm down, sweetie."

„What did you-"

„Stop that." for the first time, Lance looked up from what he was reading „ Where did you left Wanda? She kicked your ass? Again?" he smirked.

„Oh babycakes got a little bit ...angry when she found out I was following her and well..." the corners of his mouth fell down „you know what happened next."

„I don´t get why you´re still trying. She´s gonna kill you one day" Muttered Fred as he shoved another handful of crisps into his mouth.

„Nah, babycakes is in luv with the toad-man... she just doesn't know yet." Everyone except for Todd burst out in laughter, making him frown deeply. Fred almost let his pack of crisps fall on the floor narrowly catching it with both hands, discovering that it's up side down and all the crisps fell on the floor making him whimper. That amused everyone even more.

Lance was the first one to stop laughing. He frowned, his look full of concern and anxiety as he spoke up. „Did anybody see her hex you on the wall or you catching flies with your tongue or something?"

All got silent in the moment as mixed emotions filled the air. Was it anger, frustration, sadness, hatred or fear? Or was it all together? None of them knew exactly. But fear had the upper hand.

The memory of the Sentinel attack still burned in their souls, feeding the unknown feeling. It´s been more then 5 months ago, but the news still showed pictures of that day. „Mutant menace" wasn't going to disappear very soon and Trask got more power then ever before. He convinced the president about us being the menace, the plague of mutants that going to take over humanity, use our powers as weapons to enslave them if he," the salvation of humanity", won´t stop us. Such a dickhead!

After the attack, they had to leave. They had to leave Bayville, Mystiques house and school. Okay, that might not be such a great loss.

Mystique had been sending them from town to town, from state to state on, in Rogue's opinion useless little missions.

_Hmm, did she ´ctualy care about us? sendin´us to who knows where else every couple ´f days so they won´t capture us? Those stupid missions ain´t making no sense._ Rogue laughed mentally at herself. _Nah nevar. Mystique nevar cared about anybody but Mystique. But … what if she reahly did care? Why else would she still be with us.... and throw a fit whenever one of us used powers? Or did she just -_

She was thrown back into reality when Todd sighed. It was silent for a couple of minutes, for sure cause every one of them imagined what happened and what everything would happen if some filthy human would discover them and call the Sentinels. They would fight them of course, but they couldn't win over more then two of those machines. They weren´t enough to fight them and they were weak.

Running away from everyone and everything, hiding even from other mutants, which would send thousands of their one race to death just to save their own meaningless lives and fearing even their shadows made them weak.

„Nah nobody seen her nor me doing something that's ´not-normal´. We ain't stupid, yo!"

You could feel it as relive flew over them like a dark shadow was lifted from their shoulders.

„Uhm... the people here ain't that ignorant dickheads like in the rest of the world." He said with a low voice.

„What do you mean?" Asked Fred who was eating another pack of crisps or sweets or some stuff like that.

„They are nice actually. And here we look al normal, yo! They won´t notice who or what we are!" Todd smirked „And even if the did, i don´t think they wouldda babble it out to FOH yo."

„How do you know?!" asked Lance suspiciously with a hint of annoyance and disbelief in his voice „Have you done something?! Did they discover you? You jeopardize us all!"

„But -" Todd's weak attempt to protest was shortly cut off.

„It´s Mardi Gras, damn it! Just cause they did not look at you like at a megalomaniac frog doesn't mean anything at all..." Lance eventually yelled, standing up from the old couch, walking up to the other side of the room and propped himself up on it looking down on his feet „They fear us …and they never gonna stop..."

The bitterness of an agonized child was flashed all over the face of that man, thorned by his memories and anger that came from human which don't understand him. Him and them. All of his race. So special but so misunderstood.

„Still could go out and have some fun...now that´s Mardi Grass and well don´t look suspicious, yo."

Rogue and Fred, who had been looking at this scenario without saying a word, seeing a broken man and trying not to pour more salt into the open wound, looked up at him asking for answers.

„Oh c´mon, Mystique ain´t gonna come back soon and we have no missions, yo! And you MUST see what´s going on outside." He jumped over their heads to the door, opening it with one kick of his left frog-leg.

„There's a freakin' party going on, yo! "

Rogue sighed.

It had been years since she was so near to home... or what's she thought for so long was her some. With Iren. In Caldecott. The unique smell of New Orleans reminded her of the times when Iren went there with her on Mardi Grass and on very special occasions. She wasn't allowed to go out too much, wasn´t allowed to go to crowded places, to ever touch people. Irene knew her mutation would once kick in and overwhelm her whole being. She tried to protect her the only way she knew, keep her away from others. And whenever Irene went with her to Mardi Grass...well, it was something indescribable for a child like Rogue. The scent, the noise, the music, the colors, the laughter, the costumes, and the people.

_Oh Irene... wish Ah couldda turn bac´ tahm._

She knew it wasn´t a good idea. She knew well that if Mystique found out, that she definitely will, she's gonna throw a fit and punish her for leaving their hideout. But she did not care at all.

„Let´s go, frog-face." She grabbed her brown jacket and walked out of the front door, leaving the guys motionless in confusion and wonder.


	2. Meanwhile

2. Meanwhile

„What do you mean... What are you planning?" A soft voice asked while the sound of sipping of tea filled the small room.

Four white walls, one window and a door, a clock on the wall, one arm chair and one wooden coffee-table were the only pieces of furniture, located in the center of the room. It was a cold, saltless ambient. Without pictures, without color, without life.

Only one picture frame was lying face down on the coffee table.

The widow was shut and the dark red curtains were pulled over it but the door was slammed wide open with a little hole on the wall the same size and shape as the door-knob. The cool air licked the wooden floor making its way deeper into the small room like a pack of mad dogs craving for the heath of their fresh hunting catch. The steam of the once boiling teas was swiftly swallowed the cold not leaving a nip of warmth in it.

„What? No welcome-back or nice-to-see-you-again? "

She didn´t had to look to see there was no smirk that fit to the smartass remark. It was like standing on the edge of the knife, as if a fight couldn't be outran. The air was bitter in her nose as she took a deep breath, heavy in her lungs as she filled them and unsatisfying in her body as she emptied them again. Like she did not breathe at all.

„Like I said, what do you want?"

„He has to pay....for everything..." was the answer.

A wave of silence drowned their word in an ocean of understanding and pity for the one whom lusted for revenge.

„I served him loyally for so long, i gave him my life and myself and he stabbed me in my back mercilessly! I must find him and give him what he deserves..." Came finally after a long silence full of tension.

„...and what do you want from me?"

„You know exactly what I want."

Another loud sip of the now cold tea followed but not a word.

„You know where he is. You can see where he's hiding damn it!" a fist slammed into the table with enormous power causing it to shake.

Their eyes locked.

„No. " She said with a calm voice, ignoring her visitors rage.

And she remained silent and calm when she heard the sound of clenching fists and cracking knuckles. Seemed like no storm nor other natural catastrophe nor human nor mutant, not even a hurt and betrayed one.

„No...I won´t tell you and I can´t tell you. You are mad and insane with the want for revenge. It´s not going to end good and -"

„I don´t care if I die if he dies too!"

She sighed

„You know my mutation doesn't work this way. I can´t control it."

„Stop it! You knew I would come and you also know where he is! Don´t you lie to me!"

„Even if I knew I would not tell you..."

Heavy breaths were everything. It seemed as the world stood still for minutes. None of them dared to move, not even to look into each others eyes. The cool air managed to get into every corner of the room. A light blow of wind tickled the ends of a black old coat ignoring that the „welcome" visitor still remained just inches away from the door step, licking its way inside.

„Irene..."

„You know what you ask from me?" She said looking deeply into her empty cup of tea.

She sighed.

„You might not care about your own life but do you really don´t care about them either? You are mad with your chase. You are dragging those kids with you and you use them the same way as Eric used you."

„Don´t y- "

„I´m not saying that you are like him... I know too well that without you, those kids might have been captured by Sentinels by now. But now you want to risk their lives just for your personal revenge. You would even risk the life of your daughter...."

„I'm-"

Irene interrupted again „Remember, you gave her to me left her here to give her the chance for a normal life after all....and now that her powers manifested you want her to suffer once again?"

„Irene....please."

She couldn´t believe what she saw. A heartbroken shadow of a woman she once knew. Pain and sheer hatred for the man called Magneto burned in her eyes together with the guilt she felt for her daughter. What could have done so much damage on a once strong, independent and caring woman? Love. Only love could have killed such a strong soul. Love she once felt for Eric, for her daughter Marie and her son Kurt, love for Irene....

Eric betrayed her, abandoned her, used her... her children didn´t knew about her... Kurt was even fighting against her....

„My dear Raven, I´m won´t tell you... I don´t want to lose you. It's destroying you inside!" She almost screamed the last words when Raven turned around, about to leave.

„Raven!" Irene stood up from her armchair looking at Mystique making a halt in the door with her blind eyes.

„Don´t ...call me so.... to you, my names is Mystique" snapped Raven with an even calm voice, without turning around.

„You gonna get your revenge, I promise, but not like this. Raven...he's not gonna die under your hands." She said with a begging voice knowing well it wouldn't change anything.

„Oh no fear, I´ll make sure that I´m the one to make him pay for everything. I will be there when he takes his last breath, I swear!" were her last words before she disappeared.

Irene walked to the door , stopped where Raven did, driving her hand over the place where Ravens hand laid on the door frame just some seconds ago, when she decided that Irene wasn't worth to be called a friend anymore. The cold from the outside faded compared to the cold she felt from Raven.

„I´m sorry my dear old friend but you won´t be with us anymore when Eric's time to pay comes.."

**XxX**

„But _mon pére_!"

„_Non, non_ and _non_ it's been decided!"

„By who?! You and that cr_étin_ from the Assassins?! That-"

„Non, by the _patriarchs_ of the two most influencing Guilds of Na´ Orleans." answered Jean-Luc with an diplomatic even voice to his anxious son. His face didn't soften a bit and Jean-Luc sighed.

„Look _mon fils_ a marriage between ours and the Assassin Guild and ther´ will be peace." Jean-luc smirked „And we get the chance to infiltrate dem and bring dem to their knees. We would get the upper hand over Na´ Orleans!"

„Argh, thats all ya think ´bout. _Mon Dieu_!" he growled „What ´bout yo´ _famille_?!"

„I wouldn´t be the _patriarch_ of the thieves if I wouldn´t think ´bout the well of all. The Guild comes before the _famile_. New Orleans isn´t big enough for two of us to be shared. It will come to war if we don´t do anything against it.. I have to do the right decision fo´ all of us... and if there's a chance to shake with the Assassins in their fundaments then I will do everything that's needs to be done. My _pére_ made mi his _dauphin_ and I will do everything to make sure that the Guild will survive and lead it into a new, brighter future."

„I ain´ _un_ of yo' _hommes_! Don´t talk to _moi_ like an filthy _politique_!" he glared at his father „Yo' wanna t´row away the life of yo´r son, _moi_, and everyone in your _famille_ just t´ win yo´r personal war with Marius Boudreaux! Marriage to that witch?! What were you thinking?!"

Jean-Luc sighed and sank into his comfortable leather arm chair resting his head on his palm. His room was dark, the windows were hide behind long dark blue curtains. Some light from outside shone from under the door and only the light of a weak lap on the massive zalber wooden desk lightened the room. Portraits on the wall seemed like portal to other dimensions from which evil creatures laughed at the scene and judged them.

„It´s not so and you know it..." Jean-Luc stood up and in a quick move, the files on his desk went flying across the room.

„Mebbe one day, when yo´ll become the _patriarch_ of the guild, yo´ll understand. "Came out like a low whisper.

„..._Je comprends pas!_ I thought -"

Jean-Luc silenced his startled and confused son with a wave of his hand and settled back into his chair and adjusted his tie with a calm unreadable expression covering his face. He took a picture frame in his hand and drove his finger over the glass.

„We both know that Remy won´t marry Belladonna, at least not on his own and fo´ sur´ he won´t do it fo´ the good o´the guild.... An´ if he doe´ not, you Henri will become my _dauphin_"


	3. Walking by

**3. Walking by**

He moved slowly through the streets of New Orlean´s French quarter that was full of celebrating people at this time of the year. The loud jazz music that came from all sides filled his ears and the smell of BBQ and hot bubbling gumbo filled his nose. He could already taste it on his tongue, the spice burning it deliciously.

His red on black eyes, covered by dark shades, moved aimlessly around the crowds, scanning every person intensely like a hungry snake searching for his next meal to satisfy his growing desire.

As he made his way down the street, taking deep sips of his bottle of Four Roses bourbon from time to time, he abruptly came to a halt. He run his hand throught his messy redish-brown hair as he took his last deep sip of bourbon and the bottle disappeared in one of his trench coat pockets. His eyes were fixed on the pretty blond on the other side of the street as a wide grin appeared on his face, his pearl white teeth glittering in the sun like those of a predator. Oh hell, he looked like one of those cartoon wolfs when their jaw drops to the floor when they see a pretty woman!

„Oh Ah looove Ma´di Gra´" he literally sang his words and licked his lips.

On the outside of a restaurant sat a nice platin blond woman in a skimpy nurse costume and hight killer heels. She was alone and obviously waiting for somebody, somebody who let her wait as she was nervously looking at her arm watch. He instinctively shuffled his card while ogling her.

Oh damn he really loved Mardi Grass. Almost as much as he loved the ladies.

„No fear chere, I won´ let yo´ wait." that infamous grin of his was priceless.

Wow... did I just see him drool? lol

His first step was to the girl but then he turned around and grabbed a little boy by the collar of his shirt. He smacked him on the back of his head as he struggled to get out of Remy´s tight grip.

„_Pardonnez-moi monsieur LeBeau_" the little boy, not older then seven stopped struggling as Remy let go of him and gave him back his wallet. He fixed his gold curvy hair and looked sheepishly up at him.

„Watch ou´ _boo_ where yo´r hands go. Yo´no´car´ ful enough. Go back hom´ to _mon frére_" he added as the little boy run back to his friends that watched and waited in the blind side street.

„_Ah the lil garçonnet´ those days" _he said to himself and shook his head in amusement.

He hid his wallet and the cards he was shuffling before into one of the many inside pockets of his trench coat, fixed his shades and turned on his heel ready for some „action".

„Remy LeBeau, welcome home" said the familiar voice that made a shiver go down his spine.

He daren´t to turn around. He knew who she was, too well. He could hear her anger and bitterness and feel the smirk on her face grew. A smirk that, combined with the demonic gleam of pure hatred in her eyes, could make most men run away in fear.

He knew, after both patriarch decided that their marriage should prevent the war between the Guilds, his return home wouldn´t stay unnoticed from her. She always was in love with him and he couldn´t say no to _bella femme_ like her even thought love was definitely not what he felt for her. But after incident with her brother Julian....well lets say things got complicated.

He put on his infamous cocky smirk and turned to face her.

„Bella Donna, long not seen"

**XxX**

Her walk was steady and calm. Her eyes never left the path she was walking on. Her hands were closed tightly around each other. The smell of the Mississippi surrounded her and the light breeze carried a familiar scent of spice and fire. She inhaled it deeply, letting it fill every cell of her entire being as she remembered.

_Home,_ she whispered to herself.

The sky was white. Puffy little clouds became a wall of white that closed over the stunning blue of the southern hemisphere. But still the warm strokes of sunlight broke through it and made the river surface glister.

She kept herself away from the big over-crowded streets, walking in the shadow of the side streets watching the celebrations from the far. She wished to go closer but she didn´t like it. She hates it. She feared it. She always did since her mutation manifested. Being with so many people was a high risk of hurting them and herself.

Remembering the times when she was younger, when her powers weren´t there yet, her eyes became watery. Irene used to go with her to Mardi Grass. She loved the sounds and smells and tastes, back then.

"Hey Rogue... wait" she was pulled back to reality by someone calling for her. She turned around to see Lance and Fred running after her.

"Changed you´ mind, huh?"

"Wheres Todd?"said Lance after catching his breath again. Rogue was wearing his breads around her neck and couldn´t stop from toying with them.

"The frog face thought he saw Wanda and jumped off to go stalking, again." she rolled her eyes.

"He will never learn it, right?" added Fred.

Rogue just rolled her eyes again turning on her heel and ignorer the two guys following her.

"So why did you came after all?" she asked without stopping.

"Mystique´s gonna kill us for letting you three go just so easily anyway, so why not spend the last few hours of our lives outside from that boring stinky hotel. Can´t let you have all the fun alone!" Lance smirked.

Rogue tried so hard to ignore the two behind her chatting that she didn´t notice when the sounds of music and peoples laughter became lauder with every step. She awoke from her zombie-like walk when a couple of wild kids almost run into her. She froze like a statue not darent to even breath it. Her hands clutched tighter to her body.

_It might wasn´t such a good idea to come here at all,_ she thought.

The adrenalin started to rush through her veins as she was about to flee when a light touch on her shoulder made her freeze again.

"Rogue...You okay?" both Lance and Fred looked at her with concern.

"Yeah Ahm fine sugah" she she forced a weak smile "just a little..crowded"

Lance gave her a comforting smile in return. There was something between the two of theme could always make her smile. He was always playing the hard loner but from the inside, he was a good guy. Oh and totally in love with the former X-men Katherine Pryde but thats a thats a different story.

"Well we could -"

"I´m hungry" Blob´s growling couldn´t be over-hear.

"Lets get something then"

"Gumbo!"

"Is that edible?!" Fred threw a questioning look at Rogue and rubbed his growling stomach.

"The best dahmn thing on mother earth, sugah!" Rogue put out her tongue at him with one hand on her crooked hip.

Blob still looked unsure if he could believe her.

"Like it ever mattered to you if it was or was NOT edible!" spat Lance "You ate chips and the sac they were in!" he burst out laughing.

"Hey!... It tasted good" Blob defended himself.

Now even Rogue couldn´t stop laughing. It was just too funny how Blob could be like a little whinny baby if it was about food.

"What about we check the restaurant over there?"

Lance headed them to where he pointed before. There were some obviously wasted girls in the side street and as they passed them, the girls thew some breads over Lances neck and giggled.

"They seem to like ya sugah" Rogue chuckled lightly over his reaction.

Blob ignored them both and the girls and sprinted, well as fast as an enormous guy could sprint, into the nearest restaurant. His nose was tickled but the spice and smell of cooking delicatessen of the Southern kitchen. He was like a madman driven by his hunger that could be never really satisfied.

"Seems like someones got the huger" Rogue couldn´t stop chuckling.


End file.
